Baltimore Travel Guide— 2 Day Itinerary

news7h10/23/2022

5 5 minutes read

Thinking about planning a trip to Baltimore, but don’t know where to start? Or perhaps you’re worried about the bad representation Baltimore often gets and wondering if it’s a safe place to visit. Then stay tuned as I’ll dive into our most recent trip to the infamous place Charming city.

Here’s a rundown of what you’ll find below in case you want to get ahead!

Thinking about Baltimore
Where we stay (Harbor inside the Hilton)
What must you do
Where to eat?
The outfit I packed with links!
Exact itinerary

THINK ABOUT BALTIMORE

Baltimore has a nickname Charming city back in the 70s in an attempt to weed out the bad reputation for which the city was known. An advertising agency came up with this moniker to help promote the city in a positive way. The idea behind it is simple— Baltimore has so much hidden charm hidden and ready to be discovered. At the time, the city had neither the funding nor the attractions to support the moniker, but the name stuck. Over the years, especially recently, Baltimore has built up its city and truly has hidden gems and tons of charm scattered throughout. After spending a weekend there, I can attest to this. There are many unique and amazing bars and restaurants lining the streets.

Now don’t get me wrong Baltimore is still a city And with any city there are very dangerous passages, so you still need to be careful. I wouldn’t recommend walking around at night, unless you know the neighborhood you’re in as it’s very easy to make a wrong turn and end up in a place you don’t want to be. We personally used Uber to pretty much get around at night, but we did walk around during the day.

Do I recommend a visit? Sure.

WHERE WE STAY

There are so many options to stay in Baltimore and they are all located in different parts of the city, so it can be a bit confusing to choose one if you haven’t been! We stayed Harbor inside the Hilton And it’s in a perfect location. Within ten minutes by car from almost anywhere on our itinerary, which makes getting around to see everything on our list a breeze. The rooms are spacious, very clean and updated with modern furnishings, but my FAVORITE part about our hotel room was that it overlooked Oriole’s Baseball Field— a great view!!

The hotel also has on-site parking, so if you have a rental car, you can park somewhere convenient. It’s $35 a day FYI, but that’s with most places around the city. There’s also a cafe/breakfast in the lower lobby, which is ideal if you need a quick pick-up or a quick bite to eat!

DOING WHAT

FEDERAL POINT / FELLS

These two neighborhoods are very beautiful and there are many bars and restaurants along the streets. If you are looking for a picturesque area to wander around, definitely visit these neighborhoods.

CHRISTMAS LIGHT ON STREET 34

This is a quick 15-20 minute activity, but if you’re big around Christmas then you definitely want to check it out. A long row of houses on 34th Street are literally decorated from top to bottom in Christmas lights. Each house is a different theme and it’s fun to walk around and check out all of them. Also great for taking your kids to see!

CHRISTMAS VILLAGE IN HARBOR

This was walking distance from our hotel and was a huge pop-up strip featuring local merchandise, food and drinks. Be forewarned the lines are LONG. We waited in line for 35 minutes for the fries, but they were delicious. This is also kid friendly, as they have theme park rides there too!

BALTIMORE AQUARIAM

We didn’t get a chance to achieve this, but it’s definitely on our list! We’ve both heard so many great things about this aquarium and it’s a great activity to do when it’s too cold or rainy outside.

WHERE TO EAT + DRINK

Making this list is extremely difficult because there are so many great spots to visit, but I cannot recommend the places we have been to enough.

CLOUD

For all my donut lovers following me, this is my 100% Baltimore donut recommendation. Tastes great, the toppings are out of the picture, and they’re delicious. They are also vegan! My personal favorite is the Strawberry and Shaun’s is the Butter Chocolate Chip.

THE BLUEBIRD

If you are looking for a romantic and cozy cocktail bar with great tapas, add this to your itinerary. The literary themed space with beautiful crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling feels quaint and sophisticated. It’s a place you can imagine Hemingway would return to frequently during the day.

Recommendations: Order Sunlights and Shadows for a great table-side presentation and Be Like the Fox

DE KLEINE DUIVEL

This is the perfect spot for those who love a large and unique Belgian beer selection. They also have a few cocktails on their menu, if beer isn’t your thing. It’s right next to The Bluebird, so it’s the perfect place to go for after-dinner drinks.

BREAKFAST CAFE BLUE MOON

The line to get into this place speaks volumes for the quality of the food, but the wait is well worth it. Their menu takes the casual breakfast and turns it into worthwhile masterpieces. There’s a reason they have over 902 reviews with a 4.5 overall rating on TripAdvisor.

WC HARLAN

This little gem is a real jade that is completely hidden and hidden. If you don’t plan on going here, you might pass it on the street without even knowing it’s there. To get inside, you go through a black door that simply has the word “Enter” on it, with no indication of what the place is. On the other side of that door is a cocktail bar that really goes back in time. I highly recommend checking this out. It’s one of the most unique bars I’ve been to. The cocktails are elaborately crafted and very tasty. FYI there’s no food on the menu, but it’s right next to Clavel, next on my list below!

CLAVEL

If you know me, then you know my obsession with Mexican food and margarine deepens. I always try and look for more authentic places in my travels. I will dream about queso fundido in the near future because it is so cool. Their menu is very creative and the prices are very affordable. Be warned that there may be a wait, but it is well worth it. If you are a mezcal lover like me, try Mezcalita!

FADEN SONNEN

After checking WC Harlan and Clavel go to Faden Sonnen to buy night hats as it is also on the same street (talk about a perfect little stick crawl). They are known for their sake and the unique cocktails here!

AZUMI

Fare warning is this place is expensive, but if you are looking for some good value for money sushi and saki this is the place for you. It’s also in a great area with tons of shopping, so it’s the perfect lunch spot!